Global Emergency Overview Snapshot 25 March – 1 April

Syria: Violence continues with government forces shelling areas recently gained by opposition fighters in Lattakia province, along the western Turkish border. In the northeast, aid convoys have crossed from Turkey, enabling relief agencies to deliver assistance to communities in need at the border area. In a further political development, the Turkish government stated its readiness to launch cross-border military operations in Syria if its national security was threatened.

Iraq: The situation in Anbar province remains tense as clashes continue between anti-government fighters and Iraqi forces near the city of Fallujah, west of the capital. The violence is causing further displacement in the province and areas nearby in Nineveh, Salah al Din, and Diyala. To date, fighting has displaced up to 400,000 people and local sources have reported that 336 Iraqi civilians have been killed since January 2014.

Central African Republic: A new wave of violence in Bangui since 21 March has already reached a provisional civilian death toll of 64. OCHA reported that as of 28 March there were an estimated 625,000 IDPs, including over 200,000 in Bangui, the first reported increase in IDPs for several weeks. As of late March, observers noted heightened Seleka and anti-balaka activism, and the increased targeting of international peacekeepers by armed groups.

Guinea: An outbreak of Ebola virus – which is suspected to have infected 122 people and killed – has reached the capital Conakry. Another dozen cases in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia are also suspected to be linked to Ebola, causing fears that the highly contagious disease could spread further across the region. Senegal has closed its southern land border with Guinea.